Reversible lanes worth a try

Reversible lanes on major east-west thoroughfares could be a partial solution to Palm Beach County's worsening traffic gridlock. It's an idea worth trying, and county commissioners should explore it further.

It would involve converting existing six- or eight-lane roads into roads with reversible lanes in the middle. During the morning rush hour, a six-lane road would have four eastbound lanes and two westbound lanes. The pattern would be reversed for the afternoon rush hour.

Proponents of the idea, including Commissioners Burt Aaronson, Addie Greene and Mary McCarty, point out that the county has all but run out of room for new roads or the widening of existing ones, and that, in any case, redesigning roads would be cheaper than laying more pavement. Those points are hard to dispute.

But the idea also has skeptics, including Commissioners Jeff Koons and Warren Newell. The chief skeptic is County Engineer George Webb, who fears potential safety and financial issues. Webb says reversible lanes could confuse drivers, especially tourists unfamiliar with local traffic patterns. Left turns would be more difficult because dedicated turn lanes would become impossible. And removal of medians and installation of red and green lights to signal lane availability would be expensive.

Those are also good points, and officials should proceed cautiously. But county traffic engineers should be able to overcome the safety concerns. Many Northern cities have been using reversible lanes for years. There's no reason the same thing can't work in South Florida if due care is used in designing the lanes and making sure motorists are aware of them.

Of course, the best long-term solution to Palm Beach County's -- and South Florida's -- traffic congestion is improved public transit. Every motorist frustrated with long commuting delays should get behind bills in the state Legislature to create a Regional Transportation Authority to develop and operate a seamless regional mass transit system. The RTA should be funded with a $2 surcharge on automobile license tag fees.

Without such a system, South Florida's traffic crisis will get far worse in the coming years. Meanwhile, it makes sense for Palm Beach County to seek to mitigate congestion in every way possible. Officials should follow Koons' suggestion that they experiment with reversible lanes on Okeechobee Boulevard before trying them on other roads.